Abstracted
by nhi5409
Summary: Two cousins from a wealthy family have loved their luxurious life with wisdom. But they soon start to face their most difficult challenge:Love. Both are forced to marry. One falls in love with her fiancee's brother; the other falls for an enemy.
1. New Year's

**New Year's **

"Daddy, how much longer will the fireworks last? I think you're going overboard with it!" Linda giggled with her cousin, Cindy, while they watched the family's annual fireworks from the Linda's balcony. "Uh-uh! No way am I going to stop! You liked them since they were little, and I know you still like them now! So quit nagging my arrogant daughter!" Linda's dad, David, yelled back. "My gosh, they do this every single year and it always lasts like three hours. Will they ever stop?" Cindy sighed. Linda grinned. "Probably until they're eighty. It's from all the coffee they drink from our family's shop." "If they still have the strength to shoot fireworks on and on like this, why can't they manage the shop anymore?" Cindy pouted. "Maybe they think we're wise enough." Linda suggested while playing with her dyed light-brown hair. "At twenty?" "Well, it's the two of us, which makes our decisions more wiser. I mean, we did learn at a young age."

"That is true you know." Both of the girls turned around to see Cindy's mom leaning against the balcony door. "Hi mom. I thought you were down helping dad shoot fireworks." Cindy said. " I got tired. Your dad runs around too much. Plus I was wondering where you two were." Linda smiled. "Sorry aunt Gina. We always come up here." "I know." Gina smiled back. "Why don't you girls come downstairs with the family for a little bit?" "But they're not done with the fireworks yet." Cindy said confusingly. "Actually, we're going to end early this year. Come on down and I'll tell you why." Linda and Cindy looked at each other for a moment and then turned back and followed Gina downstairs.

-------

[Cindy's POV]

I started to walk down the spiral staircase and peeked into the living room to see all of my family members sitting in an awkward silence. Linda nudged me. "Do you know what's going on?" I shook my head. She sighed. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I walked over to a white leather sofa and sat between my mom and grandma, while Linda sat with her parents.

My mom spoke up first. "Okay, so there's something we've been meaning to tell you. And I'm pretty sure you won't agree on it, but once you give it a try it'll all work out. I promise." a million thoughts ran around my head while I looked around to try to read everyone's faces. I turned to my grandma as soon as she spoke. "Cindy, this was very hard for us, so please accept it for us. Your family that is." "Okay, then what is it?" I asked. I heard my dad take a deep breath. He then walked over to me and knelt down to be at eye level with me. "Honey, you're getting… married." My eyes widened in shock and my mouth gaped in horror. I automatically turned to face Linda and mouthed 'help!', but she was just shocked as I was. I really wish I can run away and never come back now! But I didn't have to run… I stood, forcing my dad to stand up too. " I-I don't want to listen anymore. I just need to take a walk then I'll continue with this conversation later." I fast walked to the door and ran out without thinking. I started walking again when I passed the mansion's gates.

Is this a joke?

It has to be right?

They wouldn't do this.

But then maybe they what's good for me- No! I don't see any good thing about it. I- "Ow!" I stumbled backwards and realized I bumped into a stranger and made him drop his ice cream cone, but I continued walking like I didn't have the slightest idea of what I was doing. "Hey! Who do you thin-" "Sorry!" I yelled sourly. I'm not in the mood and who knows if I'll ever be the same again. So with my bitter attitude, I strolled around the neighborhood for an hour and returned back to Linda's mansion. When I walked into the porch light, I finally noticed that I had gotten ice cream on my blouse and high heels- and they were both new!

Oh God, why me?

_________


	2. Problems

**Problems**

{ } Means it's a flashback. =]

[Linda's POV]

It's already midnight and she still hasn't come back yet. Oh, Cindy please come home now! Oh my gosh. I feel like it's all my fault. Oh who am I kidding? It is my fault!….I think. I should've told her, but I wasn't sure if it was true. I thought they would've changed their minds. If they thought it over thoroughly…

{ "It's best for the family, and I'm pretty sure Cindy would do it for us." I heard my dad say. "But what if she wants to find true love instead? Forcing her to do this would crush her." Aunt Gina cried. I was peeking into the dining room, where my family, excluding Cindy, sat looking serious with a discussion going on. What do they mean by forcing her and finding true love? Well, the only obvious answer is arranged marriage, but… oh no. No, no, no. They wouldn't. "Ah!" I yelped quietly. I had almost bumped into one of the two dining room doors while panicking about this problem. I wish I hadn't come down here just to get my mp3 player. I should've just sent my personal maid, Jenna, to retrieve it, but I didn't want to trouble her. "Okay, okay. Let's think about this later. Right now let's just eat." Grandma said. "The girls already ate. Hurry, the food's getting cold."

Crap. What am I suppose to do now? Should I tell Cindy? Though, they might not make her marry and I don't want to scare her either. Huh… I'll tell her later when I know for sure if they go through with it or not.}

She'll surely get even angrier if I tell her now, so later I guess. I finally saw the porch light turn on out of the corner of my eye while staring at my blank computer screen.

I know it's Cindy.

-------

I had rushed down the stairs quietly making sure no one heard me and opened the door to see her standing there with her head down, looking frustrated. She looked up at me slowly, but I didn't let her get a chance to talk. I took her wrist and pulled her upstairs to the study since it was the closest room we would reach after climbing the stairs. I gently pushed her inside and closed the door. I turned around to face her.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's not your fault." She said gloomily.

That's what you think. I clenched my fists and felt something sticky on my hands. I released my grip and saw that it was ice cream. I stepped closer to Cindy and wiped my hands on her shoulder and laughed. She did too.

"Eww. My hands are still sticky. Thanks a lot Cindy. You want to tell me why you're drenched in ice cream?"

"It's nothing. I just accidentally bumped into someone and made him drop his ice cream cone on me."

It was a few minutes until I spoke up again. "You know, I already talked to them about it. I figured you'd go along with it eventually, even though I don't want you to." Great. Here come the guiltiness again.

"After my walk, I decided it's the only way to please them and to not disgrace them also." She smiled a little.

I perked up. "Then, shall I tell you a little about your fiance before you meet him personally?"

I saw her thinking about it for a bit and then she clapped her hands together for a joyful mood.

"Yes. You shall."

I grinned. "Okay! His name is Jaebeom Park. He is 21 years-old and has an older brother, Junsu, who is 22 years-old. Their dad is the chairman of the Seoul International Airport, and his mom is a famous fashion designer that lives in Italy for most of the year. And he's in his junior year at Harvard University in America." I glanced at Cindy.

"Wow. No wonder why they want me to marry him."

"Yea. He has a background most families would die for to get their daughter with him. Huh. I hope you don't get killed." I gleamed.

"Very funny, Linda." She glared at me.

"Hey, I'm just trying to cheer you up. I mean, what would you do without me?"

"Oh, nothing at all! I would probably be too stupid to function in life if it wasn't for you!" She clasped her hands arond her throat as if she was dying.

"I heard hinted sarcasm."

We both laughed.

"Check on the shop tomorrow okay?" She reminded me.

"Sure thing. Now go take a shower before anyone notices."

She smiled cheerfully. "Thanks. I love you so much as a cousin."

"Your welcome, and I love you too, as a weirdo." I grinned.

-------

I was spacing out while listening to the heels of my slim black velvet boots clacking as I was walking down the pavement of an urban street where many stores and shops were lined up next together. And in the middle was JeLi's Coffee, which my family has been owning for twenty years. I walked up to the café and pushed the with a 'ding' coming from a silver bell overhead. Inside was a lively café that had an elegant touch to it. It's table were crowded and bustling with people. SS501's latest song "Love Like This" played softly in the background.

Several tables over, I noticed my newest teenage employee, Emi, was talking to a man about my age that looked insanely attractive. Hmmm. She seems too interested. I swiftly made my way to the table. As I was getting closer, I noticed the guy was politely trying to ignore her. Completely oblivious to his gestures, Emi continued to ramble on. I decided to walk up to her table and interrupt.

"Excuse me miss, but I've been waiting for the past 15 minutes for my double-whip, no sugar, extra cream and milk latte." I said in an indicating tone for her to get back to work.

"Yeah, yeah," Emi raised her hand dismissively, "go ask someone else. Can't you see I'm talking to a very important customer here?" She replied in a flirty tone without turning to face me.

"Emi Jung! I suggest you get back to work this instant." I replied irritatingly.

Emi's head shot up and I noticed the man's eyes were on me the whole time instead of moving them back and forth from me to Emi.

"Uh, I'm sorry . I'll get back to work." She bowed and headed behind the counter. I turned to the man and stare in bewilderment.

He was utterly handsome and cute! But I broke my gaze so I that wouldn't look like a freak.

"Um, I'm sorry for that. She's new and we didn't get to go over the rules with her yet." I tried not to look into his eyes.

"It's fine. I'm Kim Hyun Joong, and you are?" He smiled. My gosh his smile is so adorable and sexy at the same time!

"Linda Vo." I smiled back.

"Your last name doesn't sound Korean at all." He had a puzzled look.

" That's because my family is mainly Vietnamese, but I still have Korean blood in me, don't worry." I tried to keep my smile from being too flirty, but I still wanted a little hint of it.

He chuckled. "I'm glad. So you own this café?"

"Well, me and my cousin do."

"Ah. Well, I don't want to keep you from keeping your café in order. Plus, I don't want you keep standing here while talk to me." He grinned.

I laughed. "It's okay. But, yeah, I have to check on a few things. So I hope you enjoy your coffee." I started to walk away.

"Wait."

Yes! I turned around.

"Um, do you want to have dinner or lunch sometime?" I saw that his face looked a little shy. Oh my gosh!

"You mean like a date?" I blushed a little.

"Yea, a date. So would you?"

I smiled confidently. "Sure. When are you free?"

He grinned. "Tomorrow at seven?"

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you." I caught one last glimpse of his gorgeous face before walking away in a daze.


End file.
